Tail wheel tow bar

[Eckenroth]

I'm finishing up my Onex and need to purchase a tow bar. I would like to know what model others are using. I really would like to find one that allows me to increase the limited turn radius of the tail wheel itself. Is there something like that out there. Thanks for the assistance.
Paul

[Rynoth]

I'm finishing up my Onex and need to purchase a tow bar. I would like to know what model others are using. I really would like to find one that allows me to increase the limited turn radius of the tail wheel itself. Is there something like that out there. Thanks for the assistance.
Paul

I'm not sure about the Onex, but for my Waiex taildragger I looked into having a castoring wheel trolly to put under the tailwheel for moving it around on the ground. What I quickly realized is that the tail is just too light and the tail easily bounced out of whatever I put it into unless I strapped it down. Turns out, my weight at the tailwheel is only 35lbs and now I just pick it up to move the plane wherever I want. The Onex is probably even less. I don't think a tow bar is necessary.

[XenosN42]

I agree with Ryan. Just pick up the tail and move it around. I've been to several flyins with my OneX and when I need to move it so that other planes can depart I can see the look of surprise on the pilots faces at how easy it is to lift and move my plane. (Word to the wise - just make sure the propeller is horizontal.)

-- Michael
OneX N169XE
Author of the MGL 'Flight Data Viewer'

[Eckenroth]

And "pick up the tailwheel" is what I do now. However the hanger is a quonset building without sidewalls. When the tail is picked up the elevator suddenly gets much closer to the roof. Maneuvering on the ground is preferred.
Paul

[Rynoth]

And "pick up the tailwheel" is what I do now. However the hanger is a quonset building without sidewalls. When the tail is picked up the elevator suddenly gets much closer to the roof. Maneuvering on the ground is preferred.
Paul

I'm not sure if what you're looking for exists without making something yourself, though if it does I'm curious as well. It would have to be something that either locks into the tailwheel bolt or straps down the wheel and/or tailpost to keep it from jumping out. I have to deal with hanger door rails at the bottom entry of the hangar and would need something with really big and/or soft wheels to be able to take the bumps, which is part of the reason why lifting up the tail works best for me.

If you don't have to deal with bumps and want to steer the plane from the prop side, I did have some small success on flat ground with a little 3-wheeled castor assembly like this from home depot:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Richelieu-H ... /301656440

But even a pebble on the ground can make the tailwheel jump out.

[wlarson861]

I made my own towbar from things I picked up at the home center. I used a piece of angle iron as the center. I put two steel 90 degree corner brackets on the ends of the angle iron for wheels to attach to with bolts for axles. I added a "u" bolt to the front of the angle iron for the tail wheel to drop into. For the handle I made a "T" from galvanized pipe and fittings and attached to the angle with a steel flag holder(the type that is designed to attach to a vertical wall and hold a flag at an angle). The tail is picked up and tail wheel is set in the middle of the "U" bolt and the plane can be pulled backwards into the hanger. The "U" bolt is a little wider than the tail wheel so I can swing the tail in a tighter turn than with the tail wheel on the ground.

[sonex892.]

I lifted and carried the tail for 7 years. Installed toe brakes and a lockable castoring tailwheel 2 years ago. It's now so much easier to maneuver around the hanger, there is no way I'm ever going back to lifting the tail.

Steve
Sonex 892

[Eckenroth]

Thanks for all the replies. It looks like the choices are conventional tow bar with restricted radius or lift tail and carry. Or a combination of the two.

Paul

[Arjay]

All: A couple of us SONEX tailwheel drivers here at KLZU have built tailwheel "dollys" which make it super easy to maneuver the airplane. I started out with a Home Depot type dolly intended to move heavy flower pots. It had 3 castoring wheels on the bottom and a plastic frame. I would just lift the tail and place it in the dolly, then could easily maneuver the plane by pushing on the prop. This dolly lasted about a year before totally falling apart. Next (copying my neighbor's design) I made a square frame out of 1x4 wood, with a slot for the tailwheel, with 4 small castoring wheels on the bottom. This one lasted a little longer, but eventually the wheels broke, so I built a bigger one with bigger wheels. The last one has held up well for over a year now, with no apparent wear. It is a square frame made of 1x4 boards, with 4 larger (2 "?) castoring wheels. The tailwheel fits well into a slot in the frame and then the plane can easily be pushed in any direction by the prop. It is super easy to lift the tail and place the tailwheel into the slot. I have never had the tail bounce out. I have a couple of pictures on my cell phone, but don't know how to post them here. If anyone will send me an email address, or text number I will gladly send you the pics.

Arjay. Sonex taildragger, aerovee, at KLZU

[caveman370]

Had the harbor freight small 4 wheel dolly. Filled the center in with a few 1 by 4’s. Don’t have or use anymore because I have the flyboy tail wheel
Worked great


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk